FROM OUR EXPERTS

Yes, allergies can arise at any point in time, even to things you've never been allergic to in the past. Allergies are fairly unpredictable. For instance, when I was a young child, we had cats and I was never allergic. But later on, I developed a severe cat allergy. Now, however, in my 50s, I am no longer allergic one bit to cats. It's weird.

The best way to know what you might be reacting to is to keep a diary of your symptoms... when do they start? what were you doing right before? does anything make them better? how long do they last?

Also, try isolating yourself from the animals and see what happens. Once you're armed with that info, you might want to consult with an allergy specialist, called an allergist. He or she can test you and also examine you to determine if allergies are at work here.

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